Matt Davis writes two items of note in this week's Portland Mercury ("We Mean it This Time" and "Some Friends you are"). The first, discusses Nick's recent comments to the Portland Business Alliance on the end of Sit / Lie and the forthcoming Free Sidewalk Plan. The second, is a roundup of downtown housing and homeless issues: The Resource Access Center (RAC), Friends of Urban Renewal, the affordable housing memorial last week, and our collective responsibility for caring for those with the greatest needs.

And from today's Oregonian, a guest opinion piece by Charles Wilhoite, current chairman of the Portland Business Alliance. “Taking back our downtown streets,” credits Commissioner Fish and County Chair Ted Wheeler for their hard work to provide services to our most vulnerable in a tough economic climate. Read full story here.